Method and apparatus for removing water from wells



'6. A. KOBEL. i METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING WATER FROM WELLS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I5. 19I9.

Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

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UNITED "STATES GEORGE A. xoBEL, or eE'rzvrLLE, NEW YORK.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING- WATER FROM WELLS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

Application led September 15, 1919. Serial No. 323,783.

To all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. KoEL, a citizen of the United States, residing in (ietzville. in the county of Erie and State ot New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods and Apparatus for Removing'll-Yater from 'ells. of which thc followingr is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus and method of removing water from gas and l part of this well is lined with a tubular casing 2 of metal which extends from the surface 0f the ground downwardly to a point below the salt or surface water line. Surrounding the upper part of the casing is a tubular wall or drive pipeS which preferably extends from the surface of the ground downwardlyv to the bed rock and serves to protect the upper part of the casing from the pressure of the surrounding earth.

Arranged within the well and the casing and extending from a point above the casing to the bottom of the well is an Outer or gas pipe 4 which has its interior communicating with the well at a point above the bottom of the well, for instance, by means of a fitting 5 having slots or openings 6 therein and extending laterally from the interior to the exterior of the outer pipe. Above the ground the outer pipe is provided with a T-tting 7 which connects with a laterally extending branch pipe 8. The latter is provided with a pressure gage 9 and with a hand controlled valve 10 arranged between this gage and the T-fitting. At a point above the Openings 6l of the outer pipe a packing 1l of an)v suitable character is arranged between the peripheryl ofthe outer pipe and the bore of the well for the purpose of confining the gas in the well below this packing and preventing anvv water from entering the well from above.

Extending downwardly in the outer pipe is an inner or water pipe 1i) which has its lower end preferably terminating above the bottom of the well but placed with its i11- terior in communication with the interior of t-he outer pipe. This is preferably accomplished by closing the lower end of the inner ipe by a screw plug 13 and providing this plpe immediately above this plug with a plurality of radial openings'14. The upper part of the inner pipe extends through a cap 1 5 which closes-the upper end of the Outer p ipe andA at its upper end the same is provlded with an'attaching pipe 16 and a hand controlled valve 1T. Between the valve 17 and the cap the inner pipe is provided with a branch pipe 18 which connects with a pressure gage 19a'nd has a hand controlled valve 2Q arranged between this gage and the inner plpe.

Assuming that this well has been flooded with water so that the flow of gas therefrom is either wholly arrested or seriously impaired the operation of removing the water therefrom would be as follows The inner pipe and the openings 6 thereof are first cleared thoroughly of any obstructions this being effected by introducing compressed air from any suitable source into the upper end of the inner pipe while its valve l'. is open andthe valve 2O in its branch pipe is closed and the valve 10 in the branch of the Outer pipe .is opened. This pressure is continued sufficiently long until the air escapes from the branch pipe 8 and a good pressure is indicated on the gage 9, say about seventy-five pounds in case the well is about five hundred feet deep. y When the inner pipe, has been thus cleared the valve 17 is closed so as to hold the pressure in the inner pipe. The compressed air is now supplied to the branch pipe 8 and a pressure is built up in the outer and inner pipes until the gage 19 which is connected with the inner pipe by opening of the valve 20 shows a pressure of about two hundred pounds. Then this pressure is reached the valve 17 is opened while the air pressure into the pipe 8 is maintained` thereby causing a sudden rush of air from the outer pipe andr water from the well upwardly through the inner pipe and valve 17 and discharged above ground. The outflow of water from the well through the inner water continues in this manner until the level of the water is below the inlet openings of the inner pipe which is suiiiciently low to prevent the water from interfering with the flow of the gas.

Thereafter the gas is withdrawn from the well through the outer pipe 4 and its branch- 8 and the inner pipe 12 is held in reserve for discharging water when the well again becomes flooded. Inasmuch as the pipe 4c is used primarily for conducting gas the same may for convenience be referred to as a gas pipe and as the chief function of the pipe l2 is to discharge water from the well the same may be designated as a water pipe.

v lower end with the lower part of said Well and having a packing between its periphery and the bore of the well above the place of communication between the outer pipe and said well, and an inner pipe arranged in the outer pipe and communicating at its lower end with the lower part of the outer pipe and provided at its upper end with a valve, which method 'consists in first opening the valves of the outer and inner pipes and producing a back pressure of air in the pipes from the upper end of the inner pipe down wardly and from the lower end of the outer pipe upwardly until thesey pipes are cleared of'water and air escapes from the outer pipe valve and a pressure has been set up in those pipes, then closing the inner pipe valve and producing a forward pressure in said pipes from the upper end of the outer pipe downwardly and from the lower end of the inner pipe upwardly until a pressure is built up in said pipes, and then opening the valve of the inner pipe andcausing'a sudden rush of air and water from said pipes and well to the exterior of the well above the surface of the ground.

GEORGE A. KOBEL. 

